Malaysian boat capsize toll up to 12

Malaysian boat capsize toll up to 12

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): The death toll from a weekend boat accident off Malaysia's western coast rose to 12 on Wednesday, with rescuers still searching for three more bodies, a news report said.

Police said they discovered the body of Norhisham Hashim, 20, about five kilometers away from the resort island of Pulau Besar off the southwestern state of Malacca, the national news agency Bernama reported.

Eighteen others on board swam to safety or were rescued after strong waves flipped the overcrowded boat at around midnight on Sunday. It was carrying mostly workers from a resort on Pulau Besar island.

Officials have suspended the license of the boat's owner after discovering 33 people had been crammed into the tourist vessel, which had a capacity of 12. Police were still looking for three people, Haslinda Abdullah, Zaiful Azhar Mohamed and Hafizah Mohamed Dom.